


Waking Up The Ghost

by robindrake93



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types
Genre: Happy Ending, Idiots in Love, Implied/Referenced Abuse, M/M, Murder, One Shot, POV Third Person, Pining, Polyamory, Resurrected Luke Castellan, Resurrection, Soulmates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-12
Updated: 2021-01-12
Packaged: 2021-03-16 11:01:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,498
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28705596
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/robindrake93/pseuds/robindrake93
Summary: Percy asks Nico to bring someone back from the dead. Like an idiot, Nico agrees.
Relationships: Luke Castellan/Nico di Angelo, Luke Castellan/Nico di Angelo/Percy Jackson, Luke Castellan/Percy Jackson, Nico di Angelo/Percy Jackson
Comments: 8
Kudos: 140





	Waking Up The Ghost

**Author's Note:**

> The song Percy sings is [Waking Up The Ghost by 10 Years.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bva0Ct2hG7Y)
> 
> Click "Hide Creator's Style" to convert font to black. 
> 
> Don’t reupload/repost my fics.

On the day of Annabeth Chase’s funeral, bucketfuls of rain fell from slate gray clouds and turned the grassy fields into squelching swamps. A bonfire burned hot and silver despite the rain, crackling hot enough to incinerate the flesh and bones of the late daughter of Athena. The silver flames were courtesy of the deceased’s mother, recognizing her daughter even in such a dishonorable death, claiming Annabeth now even as Athena had claimed her when she was born. 

The goddess stood beside the pyre in full battle regula, chin raised and gaze focused on the fire that consumed her demigod daughter’s body. The rain did not touch her and her cheeks were dry. Her silver eyes held no emotion whatsoever. 

Standing across from her on the other side of the pyre was the deceased’s boyfriend. Percy Jackson stood with his head bowed, letting the rain wash over him. He was soaked through to the skin. Water dripped from his hair and his nose. Percy did not look at the burning body. 

A line of demigods filed past him, paying their last respects to Annabeth and murmuring condolences to Percy. He did not react to whatever was said. Most didn’t linger, eager to get away from the contrasting sentries that were Athena and Percy and unsettled by the rain that fell into Camp Half-Blood’s borders. 

Nico di Angelo watched the funeral from the shadows of the trees. Something about this filled him with a cool unease that settled in his gut like a chunk of ice. Out of all the funerals that Nico has ever attended, this one was the worst...and he couldn’t figure out why. Even after knowing her for six years, Annabeth was never someone that Nico liked or would consider a friend. There were too many differences between them...and too many similarities. Maybe it wasn’t Annabeth’s death, but what it did to Percy that unsettled Nico. 

When everyone left to go indoors or go home, when Athena vanished in a blinding flash of silver light, and only Percy was left in the rain, Nico stepped out of the shadows. The layer of ice that had built on Nico’s suit cracked, shattered as he moved. The frost on his eyelashes and in his hair melted, running cold water down his face. He walked across the grass, water pouring into his dress shoes, and came to a stop beside Percy. He laid a hand on Percy’s shoulder. 

Percy’s suit was cold. His shoulder was broad and firm beneath Nico’s palm. He turned his head slightly, looking at Nico from the corner of his eye. “I was hoping you would come.” Percy’s voice was as empty as Athena’s eyes had been. 

“I’m here,” Nico said simply. He was very cold. Cold and wet didn’t go well together. His core temperature was dangerously low and if he’d been any other demigod, Nico would have come down with pneumonia. “Is there anything I can do for you, Percy?” 

“Yes,” Percy said immediately, surprising Nico. Most people pretended like they were strong enough to carry on without assistance. “Would it be alright if I stayed with you for a while? I don’t want to go back to our apartment...and Camp Half-Blood has too many memories.” 

A flicker of warmth sparked in Nico, a tiny bit of pride at being the one that Percy asked such a favor of. “Of course,” Nico said without hesitation. 

Percy fully turned his head to smile at Nico. He put his hand over Nico’s, still resting on his shoulder. Around his wrist was a gray and blue bracelet made of woven yarn. It was the only part of Percy that looked dry. “Thank you. You have no idea how much that means to me.” 

The contact between them made his heart hammer. Percy’s skin was cool but not as icy as Nico’s and he had callouses. “Are you ready?” Nico asked. He hadn’t come to pay his respects to the dead. 

Percy nodded. 

“Dry yourself before we go. The shadow roads will freeze you if you’re wet,” Nico cautioned. He waited until Percy was completely dry, hair fluffed out and his suit lightened to a charcoal gray, then pulled Percy onto the shadow road with him. Holding hands, they ran through the icy shadows. The jump was a short one because Nico’s penthouse apartment was in Manhattan. They came out in the living room. 

The ceilings were seven meters high and the windows took up two entire walls. Almost everything was white with black accents, very modern and sleek. To diversify it, some of the seating was in gray instead of white and all of the fixtures were gold. Nico touched the nearest lamp to turn it on, creating a warm yellow glow in a very small section of the living room. If he wanted to light up the room, he could turn the overhead lights on, but Nico suspected that Percy wouldn’t want to be in so much light at the moment. 

Percy stood on the plush gray carpet and looked around. His eyes were huge like moons as he took in the vast space. “The ceilings are so high you could play basketball in here.” He sounded stunned, which was the first emotion that Nico had heard in his voice thus far. Percy was so surprised that he didn’t even notice the frost clinging to him. 

Nico brushed frost from Percy’s jacket and left it to melt into the rug. “You can if you want but there’s a gym downstairs. It has a court.” 

Percy’s gaze dropped back to Nico, eyes going dark now that the light wasn’t catching them. His hands jerked, then he curled them into fists and took a breath. “I know that you don’t like to be touched...but I could really use a hug.” 

Nico almost blanched at the mention of his old dislike of being touched...because no one had told Percy that Nico was over it and had been for several years. His face warmed, a blush spreading across his cheeks as shame burned within him. How could Nico even claim to be in love with Percy yet not let the man touch him? Nico opened his arms and took a step closer to Percy. 

Percy closed the distance between them. His arms went around Nico’s shoulders, pulling him in close. He was taller than Nico, enough so that his lips were even with Nico’s forehead. Percy pressed his cheek to Nico’s forehead and sighed. He was very tense for someone who was getting the hug he asked for. After what felt like forever and no time at all, Percy sighed again and stepped back. He cast his gaze toward the stairs. “I’m kind of tired. Where are the bedrooms in this thing?” 

“Oh,” Nico said, feeling stupid. He should have brought them straight to one of the guest rooms. “This way.” He led Percy up the stairs and down a hallway. All of the doors were open. “This one is my room,” Nico said as they passed it. At the end of the hall was the other en-suite. “This is you. There’s a bathroom and towels so…um…” 

“Thank you, Nico,” Percy said, saving Nico from making a bigger fool of himself. He shot Nico a grateful look, then went into the bedroom.  
  
  
  


Two days after Annabeth’s funeral, Nico came home to find Percy dancing around the living room, headphones blocking the sound of Nico’s arrival. His eyes were closed. He sang aloud with the song, “No one knows / The secrets that I keep / No one knows / What's in my head / I can't control / The other side of me / I have lost my breath / Breaking / The pulse of a steady beat / Pleading for sanity / The voices calling out my name.” 

Because Percy’s eyes were closed, he ran into furniture. It didn’t seem to bother him, he just tripped over it and landed on his feet. Miraculously nothing broke as Percy danced and sang. “Now I'm afraid / That I am waking up the ghost / I'm digging up the memories / That were dead to me / Now, now I'm getting close / Closer to the enemy / That's inside of me” 

The thing about Percy’s voice was that it wasn’t bad. It was actually so exquisitely lovely that it made Nico want to kill himself because he would never hear anything so ethereal again. Nico was sure that Percy knew it, because Percy always refused to sing. “Under the skin / The soul of the guilty / Under the surface / Lonely lies / Under the weight / The sin is / Eating me alive.” 

Percy kissed the woven bracelet around his wrist. His body swayed and undulated in time to a beat only he could hear. “No mercy / No forgiveness / Condemn to my own hell / The voices calling out my name.” Then Percy caught sight of Nico. There wasn’t an ounce of repentance in his expression as he pulled the headphones off and said, “Welcome home.”  
  
  
  


Nico sat at the kitchen island, his psychology textbook in front of him and a spiral notebook beside it. He tapped his pen against the marble as he read. He had an essay due on Friday and hadn’t yet put words on the paper, though he’s been writing the essay in his head for the past few days. 

Percy’s footsteps were heavy, vibrations through the floor signaling that he was approaching. He stopped beside Nico, peered over his shoulder to view the textbook. “What’s this?” 

“Psychology textbook,” Nico replied. “I...I enrolled in school this semester.” He hadn’t told anyone about this except for his ex boyfriend and current best friend, Will Solace. “I’m going to be a grief counselor for middle and high school students specifically.” 

Percy leaned in closer, until his stubbled cheek rubbed against Nico’s smooth one. He hummed and nodded and accidentally nuzzled Nico in the process. “That’s cool. I think you would be really good at it, Nico.” Percy turned his face just enough, so that his mouth almost rushed against Nico’s cheek. 

Nico leaned back, away, heart hammering. His eyes were wide with surprise. His nose was full of Percy’s ocean scent and the male scent of him. Nico’s traitorous face began to turn red with a blush. He let his hair fall between them, shielding Nico from the embarrassment of Percy realizing Nico still held a flame for him. “Thanks. I...I really want to help people.” 

Percy brushed Nico’s long hair behind his ear. He smiled, expression so full of warmth that it hurt. “You already help people. But I think this will be a good profession for you.” 

Nico excused himself, hurrying away to hide in one of the bathrooms. His heart raced and ached and he felt like he was going to die.  
  
  
  


Nico understood loss and grief better than most people, even better than most demigods. He knew that it didn’t always manifest itself in expected - or socially acceptable - ways. Everyone grieves differently and judging them for how they processed loss was cruel. 

For all that he knew this, Nico couldn’t help but worry about Percy because Percy wasn’t acting like someone who just lost his life partner. Percy was acting very strange because he didn’t seem to be grieving at all. In fact, you might actually call what Percy was doing _celebrating._ If you had a very loose definition of celebrating. 

To make matters worse, Nico was almost certain that Percy was flirting with him. Or Nico was just so warped that he couldn’t tell the difference between normal conversation and flirting. It was driving him crazy after only a few weeks. Was it wrong to take advantage of Percy’s loss? Or was it okay because Percy was the one who instigated flirting? Nico couldn’t decide.  
  
  
  


One night as they watched a movie together, Percy slid his foot across the couch toward Nico, tapping his thigh with his toes. Once he had Nico’s attention, Percy said, “I want to bring somebody back from the dead.” 

Nico had expected this. He’d prepared a speech detailing why he couldn’t bring someone back from the dead and that Hazel was his only exception. He opened his mouth to tell Percy this… 

In the time it took Nico to do this, Percy was on his knees on the floor in front of Nico. He gazed up at Nico with beautiful green eyes. “Please, Nico. One time, one person. I’ll never ask again.” His hand rested on Nico’s knee, the other hand nervously touching the woven bracelet around his wrist. 

Nico gazed into Percy’s eyes. He told himself that he was going to say no. That it was inappropriate for him to be bringing people back from the dead willy nilly. That if he did it for one person, more would ask. They already did ask because Nico brought back Hazel. But Percy’s eyes were gorgeous and compelling and Nico was weak. “Okay,” Nico whispered, feeling like he’d just betrayed himself. 

For the first time, Percy looked like he was going to cry. He let it a shaky exhale. Then he stood up, hovered over Nico, and kissed the corner of his mouth. His breath smelled like the spaghetti and garlic bread they’d had for dinner. “Thank you,” Percy said against his skin, voice full of emotion. He withdrew before Nico could react, returning to his spot on the couch. Percy brought the bracelet to his lips and kissed it and held it there. 

Nico’s head swam. His heart raced. He didn’t remember the movie at all, only the sensation of Percy’s lips against his skin.  
  
  
  


Getting them into the Underworld was easy. They took the same route they had years earlier. This time they opened the door by playing music on Nico’s phone. Percy walked down the stairs without hesitation, without fear. 

Nico had to run to catch up. He walked beside Percy, glanced at his face. The last time he’d seen such one track determination on Percy’s face was during the Battle of Manhattan, when Percy was fighting Kronos’ army. 

When they reached the bottom of the stairs, Percy ran in a straight line toward the Fields of Punishment. Again, there was no hesitation. He sprinted across the River Styx, not letting it touch him, performing a miracle without thinking. 

Nico melted into shadow. He reappeared beside Percy, grabbed his arm. Percy’s momentum dragged them a few feet forward, kicking up black sand. “That’s the Fields of Punishment!” Nico hissed, fearful. It wasn’t a place that Percy would want to visit and no one good was there. No one Nico could bring back. 

“I know!” Percy said, yanking his hand away and running. The desperation in his voice was like a physical smack in the face. Percy ran through the Asphodel Fields, through ghosts that shuddered and chittered when he ran through them. He crossed the border into the Fields of Punishment without looking back. 

Nico hesitated...then followed Percy. This place was dangerous for the living, more so than the rest of the Underworld. The things here could hurt Percy as well as their intended victims. And the Hellhounds lived here, patrolling the area like wraiths. Nico chased after Percy until he saw a familiar blonde girl. Shock made him slow to a stop. “Annabeth?” 

Annabeth looked bad. The back of her skull was open and spiders crawled around the broken edges, attaching their egg sacs to her brain. The back of her neck and shoulders were scratched raw, large gouges in her skin that she probably inflicted on herself. “Go away,” Annabeth said, waving a hand and not looking at Nico. Her fingertips were bloody. “I’m winning my ticket to Elysium.” She was playing chess against an immobile, lifeless skeleton. Except there were no pieces on the chessboard. 

“Why did you kill yourself?” Nico asked. 

Annabeth did take her eyes off the chessboard now. They’d been replaced with smooth white stones. “I didn’t kill myself, you idiot.” 

“You...you didn’t?” Nico was suddenly struck with the vivid memory of Percy dancing around the living room, singing a song about ghosts, unaware or uncaring of Nico watching him. He thought of Percy ducking his head close to Nico’s, looking over his psychology textbook, how Percy’s cheek has rubbed against his. “Then it was an accident?” Nico ventured. He didn’t believe it, but he had to know. 

Even without proper eyes, Annabeth managed to convey that she thought Nico was as stupid as one of the spiders nesting in her brain. “This was my boyfriend’s doing.” She wrinkled her nose. “Gabe was right about him. He’s a troubled and violent kid. At least I rebuilt Olympus before he killed me.” 

“Percy killed you?” Nico asked, feeling hot and cold at the same time. It wasn’t like Nico hadn’t suspected as much. He suddenly remembered the funeral, and Athena. Nico thought she’d been looking at Annabeth’s burning body but maybe she was looking at Percy. 

“Duh.” The rocks that were her eyes ground against her eye sockets when she rolled them. 

“Who’s Gabe?” 

“Percy’s stepdad. He’s here somewhere, I’m sure. After all, Percy and Sally killed him.” Annabeth turned back to the empty chessboard. “Now leave me alone. I’m going to beat him this time.” 

Nico ran, following the scent of living flesh. He’d thought that Percy was going to bring Annabeth back. But if not Annabeth, then who? And what did Annabeth mean when she said Sally and Percy killed Gabe? Why? Why didn’t Nico know about this? 

He got an answer to one of those questions soon. 

Percy stood beside a small pond, the circumference of which was twelve feet. The water was black and its surface rippled. 

A man knelt in the water, head bowed, chest heaving. An electrical current ran through the water. The man arched, screamed, as current went through him. It burned him from the inside out, left huge red blisters all over his skin and then burst them. His hair burned, his eyes melted. When he was well and truly dead, body burned and ruined, the electricity stopped as if a switch had been flipped. The man’s flesh slowly knit back together, healing before their eyes. 

Nico hadn’t seen the man in years but he recognized Luke Castellan. All this time, ever since the funeral, Nico has been uncomfortable and the feeling only grew. Now he knows why. 

Once Luke was fully healed, Percy snarled one word: _“Move.”_

The water did move, but it didn’t want to listen to Percy. It resented him even as it built walls around them like Moses parting the Red Sea. 

Percy stepped onto the black sand bed without hesitation. He went to Luke and knelt beside him. “Luke?” 

“Percy,” Luke rasped, a voice like stones grinding together. “Are you...real?” 

“Yes,” Percy said. He pulled Luke’s arm over his shoulder and hauled Luke to his feet. 

The second they touched, there was a small flash of blue on Percy’s wrist. Nico’s eyes were drawn to it and he was shocked to find that the yarn bracelet was no longer blue and gray, but solid blue. Nico suddenly knew what the bracelet is, why Percy wouldn’t take it off, and how it seemed indestructible. It was made of a life string; which could only be cut by the Fates scissors. 

Looking at them, puzzling it out, Nico realized he’s been incredibly stupid. It was staring him in the face the whole time. That wasn’t one life string belonging to one of them...it was one string that belonged to _both_ of them. When Luke died, his half turned gray. 

As large as Percy was, Luke was bigger. Percy looked up at Nico. “Help me, Nico.” His voice was raw as though he was crying but no tears were shed. 

For a second, Nico considered leaving Percy here and letting him die with the man he came to save. But he couldn’t. His heart still belonged to Percy. Nico crossed over to them as the electricity danced along the towering walls of water. He knelt on Luke’s other side and took some of the man’s weight from Percy. “Ready to jump?” He asked, mostly directing his question to Percy. 

Percy caught his eye and nodded. 

Nico pulled the shadows around them. They carried Luke through the shadow roads. The going was slower than Nico would like, but he was surprised to find that Luke didn’t seem to mind the cold. 

Percy trembled with it, teeth clacking audibly. Ice grew on his hair and turned his skin ashy pale. He closed his eyes and didn’t open them again, just kept walking. 

It was the longest time that Nico’s spent in the shadows. He felt his strength draining like water through a crack. They needed to get out. Just when he thought that he would never feel warmth again, Nico sensed their exit coming up. He shoved them out of the shadows and onto the bathroom floor. 

Nico always kept the heat on in his penthouse and he was never more grateful for it than now. He tried to push both men into the shower because Luke was looking more blue than tan and Percy’s eyes were frosted shut. But he didn’t weigh enough to budge them. His shoes slid out from beneath him. “Shower,” he gasped. “Hot water.” 

Which got them moving. Percy was half underneath Luke as they crawled into the shower. 

Nico picked himself up and turned the water on. He let it rain down on the three of them, gasped and groaned when the heat burned his skin. It was a terrible feeling but necessary. The shadow roads were deadly. 

Luke leaned against the shower wall, gently rubbing the frost from Percy’s eyes. He looked more tired than anyone Nico had ever seen...but there was genuine compassion in his eyes as he gently touched Percy. 

Percy trembled, face screwed up in pain or relief or something between them. He did eventually open his eyes, once the whiteness was melted from his lashes. The first thing he did was cup Luke’s face in both hands. He didn’t speak, but the expression of love in his eyes said enough. 

Nico felt like an intruder. He shook long after the last chill of ice left his skin.  
  
  
  


They shared Percy’s room. Nico didn’t even try to suggest that Luke take another guest room. He wasn’t stupid. They hadn’t stopped touching each other since the first time, hands on each other or backs pressed together or an ankle hooked over a leg. Always touching. 

When they were dry and warm and the hot shower was no longer necessary, Percy and Luke walked to their room. Percy paused to kiss Nico’s cheek. “Thank you,” he said, gratefulness exuding from every syllable. Then they went in and closed the door behind them. 

Nico stayed in the hallway, feeling raw and ugly and shattered. 

There was silence, movement as they no doubt settled into bed. Then, Percy spoke in a voice that sounded like he was crying. “I’m sorry. I’m so, so sorry.” 

Then Luke’s voice, less of a rasp and closer to normal. “It’s okay. You didn’t have a choice.” 

Nico knew he shouldn’t listen. He really shouldn’t. This wasn’t any of his business. They weren’t _his_ soulmate. 

“Do you have any idea how many times you’ve saved my life, Luke? I’d be dead if it wasn’t for you,” Percy said. His voice cracked and he sobbed. 

“I’m back,” Luke said, distress in his tone now that Percy was crying. “You brought me back.” 

Percy sobbed, “I missed you so much. I’m sorry. I love you. I’m so sorry. I love you so much.” 

Then Luke, “I missed you too. Gods, I love you, Percy. So much.” 

The declarations of love were followed by the sounds of kissing. 

Nico’s gut twisted with jealousy. His heart burned with it. He curled his hands into fists and squeezed his eyes shut. Luke and Percy made no sense: it came out of nowhere. 

And...and that was just what Nico wanted to think. He’s heard enough accounts of Percy’s week before his first quest and how they’d been friends. He’s heard about Hermes sending Percy after Luke. Other stories. And there was that damn bracelet; their life strings tied around Percy’s wrist. Nico had the feeling that he’d been taken in. That Percy only flirted with him to get his _soulmate_ back. Who would have thought it would turn out to be another man? Gods. Nico was so stupid. 

Nico left then, went downstairs to get as far away from the sounds of them kissing as possible. He was too tired to jump or he would have taken the shadow roads to anywhere else. Instead, he flopped down on the couch and cursed his claustrophobia making him get an open concept penthouse where he could hear everything. Nico pulled a pillow over his head and screamed into the couch cushion.  
  
  
  


It was difficult to get Percy away from Luke long enough to ask him about Annabeth and Gabe, but Nico managed it. “I saw Annabeth,” Nico said, trapping Percy against the stairs. 

Percy gazed down at him, wary. He said nothing. 

“I _talked_ to her, Percy,” Nico hissed. “She said -” 

“She’s right,” Percy said, cutting him off dismissively. “I killed her.” This admission did not seem to bother him. 

Nico had thought that Percy and Annabeth were solid. There were problems with their relationship, problems he didn’t notice until he got older, but still. He thought that they were in love. Annabeth hadn’t seemed particularly surprised that Percy murdered her...but ghosts weren’t entirely all there mentally. Especially not when they’re hallucinating that they’ll win a better afterlife. “Why?” 

Percy sighed. Now he did look distressed, a tiny furrow appearing between his eyebrows. He gazed out the huge windows, looking at the rain pouring down over the dreary New York landscape. His fingers touched the bracelet, the blue lifestring he carried with him everywhere. Slowly, quietly, not looking at Nico, Percy admitted, “Annabeth wasn’t a good partner. She was cruel and manipulative and she liked to hit me.” 

Nico wondered what it cost Percy to admit that his girlfriend hit him. He’d noticed even in this century, men didn’t like to talk about that kind of thing. Still, he said nothing, waiting for the rest. Because he was sure that there was more. 

There was. Percy rubbed the bracelet against his cheek, an unconscious gesture. “I’ve been...wrong since Luke died. You... I don’t know if you were around enough to notice...and I don’t hold that against you. But I felt it...and other people noticed.” Percy smiled humorlessly. “Annabeth was scared of me. Piper thought she had to control me. They weren’t the only ones. Everyone acted like...like I was suddenly an out of control monster.” The smile faded, Percy’s expression turning sad. “I can’t blame them because I felt that way too, on the inside.” 

Nico swallowed. The man before him wasn’t the same as the hero from when Nico was ten, even taking into account things like growth. Percy was vitally different from how he’d been when they were young and it wasn’t for the better. He’d seen exactly what Percy was talking about. “Did you use me?” 

“No one else could bring Luke back,” Percy said. 

“That isn’t what I mean. Did you...manipulate me into bringing him back?” Nico could see it all unfolding. Percy kills Annabeth because she was abusive and because he wanted Luke back. If he just asked Nico to bring Luke back, then Nico would have said no…no matter how much he loved Percy. But with a girlfriend in the Underworld, Percy knew that he could ask and that the chances of Nico saying no were high. 

Percy didn’t look ashamed or contrite. “Yes, but whatever you’re thinking, it wasn’t as well planned out as that.” 

“You didn’t know I would agree to bring Luke back with us. What was your plan if I’d said no?” 

Percy tilted his head slightly, a reptilian movement that he must have picked up from all the time he spent with Annabeth. “Then you would have returned aboveground alone.” 

Nico stepped back, shaking his head. “I wouldn’t have let you,” he whispered. 

Percy touched Nico’s cheek, fingers chilled against his skin. “I wouldn’t have given you a choice, Nico.”  
  
  
  


Nico found out who Gabe was via the Internet. He watched the video interviews Gabe Ugliano had given. He read all of the newspaper articles. Nico even managed to find the missing persons report after Gabe went missing. They never found his body. 

Nico spent a few days out of the penthouse, avoiding both Luke and Percy. He knew they would be fine alone but he needed to think. He needed to sort out his feelings and decide how to proceed from here. 

Nico spent most of his time on the savannah of Africa, surrounded by hyenas. They liked him and he liked them too. He sat by a river beneath a tree with a group of the large animals laying around him, crunching bones with their powerful jaws and squabbling over scraps of meat. 

He was angry at first. That Percy was going to force Nico to be an accomplice to suicide. That Percy had - wittingly or not - manipulated Nico into bringing him to the Underworld. Bringing back Luke Castellan of all people was...problematic. It would surely have consequences but Percy didn’t seem to be concerned with that. This was going to make Hades hate Percy even more...but it would endear Nico to Hermes and Dionysus. 

What would Nico have done in Percy’s place? Soulmates were so rare. The fact that Percy had been able to hold himself together as well as he did was a true testament to his strength. Nico hadn’t wanted to give up Bianca, spent a whole year trying to find her soul and bring her back. She’d been his sister and also his mother, in a way. But she wasn’t his soulmate, wasn’t the other half of him. 

And Annabeth? If Nico thought about it, really thought about it, he couldn’t remember her ever saying a kind word to Percy or behind his back. He wondered why he’d accepted that. It made him sad to think that Percy’s been suffering for so long. 

Not even mentioning what Nico would do with Luke. Send him back to the Underworld? Knowing what awaited him? Nico believed in justice but...did Luke really deserve that? Did Percy deserve that? If he sent Luke back, would Percy commit suicide to follow him? Was Luke even going to act up? Nico doubted it. 

Raising one Titan and dying because of it was probably more than enough for Luke. The man wasn’t stupid. He had a good head on his shoulders. 

By the time Nico returned to his penthouse a few days later, he was mentally and emotionally exhausted. But he had the answers he wanted and he’d more or less made peace with Percy’s actions. 

“Nico!” Percy said shortly after Nico appeared. He bounced up from his spot next to Luke on the couch and danced his fingertips along Nico’s shoulders. “We were wondering where you were. Want to watch a movie with us?” 

“No. I’m gonna go to bed,” Nico replied tiredly as he slowly walked up the stairs. 

“Oh. Okay…” Percy sounded disappointed.  
  
  
  


They didn’t exactly flaunt it, but they also weren’t very subtle. 

They touched each other constantly, showered together, ate together, slept together. Both of them had stars in their eyes when they looked at each other. 

Nico couldn’t escape how much they loved each other even behind closed doors. Because when they had sex - and they did it a lot - they were loud. Not just the squeaking of the mattress and the rocking of the bed. No. That would have been bad enough. Their voices were loud. By the end of the first week, Nico knew what Percy’s voice sounded like when he came. 

Nico truly wasn’t sure which was worse. 

He considered kicking them out. It would probably be best for him. Let them find someplace else to be in love and horny. But every time he thought of it, Nico blanched. He couldn’t make himself cast them out. 

But something, eventually, would have to give.  
  
  
  


Nico sat at the kitchen island, trying to work on his homework. He was mostly flipping through his psychology book and sipping from a glass of red wine. Movement in his peripherals made him jump. 

Luke walked past him, wearing only boxers and the lovebites that decorated his skin. He filled a glass with water. Then he turned to Nico and studied him while he drank it. His eyes were the blue of glaciers. “Thank you. For saving us.” He set the glass down. “I don’t...don’t think I met you...before I was possessed.” 

Nico shook his head. His face flushed. Luke was attractive...even more than Nico remembered. Being dead and tortured hadn’t changed that. “You didn’t. I’m Nico di Angelo, son of Hades.” 

A flicker of pain crossed Luke’s features. No, not pain, pity. He said, “I’m Luke Castellan. Son of May Castellan.” He did not name his father. 

Nico realized that he should have known Luke wouldn’t hold any love for the gods. That, among other things, was what got him into trouble in the first place. Nico had already fucked up their first real conversation. “My mother was Maria di Angelo.” 

Luke nodded, unsurprised by the information. He crossed over, leaned on the opposite side of the island. His collarbones protruded beautifully. “Nico,” Luke said seriously. “Thank you. If there’s anything we can do...or anything you want from us...it would be our pleasure to give it to you.” 

Nico wondered if he was being flirted at. The way Luke presented that offer… No. Nico was probably just imagining it. Luke and Percy were together, and were literally soulmates. There was no way that they would want Nico. “Thank you, but I just want...Percy to be happy.” Nick raised his glass and drank deeply, avoiding looking at Luke. 

Luke stayed for a few long moments. Then he nodded and left the kitchen with his glass of water.  
  
  
  


Now that there were three of them, Percy sat between Luke and Nico during movie nights. Percy liked to lean on Luke and tuck his toes beneath Nico’s leg. Sometimes he leaned on Nico, resting his cheek against Nico’s head. When he was really excited, Percy would grip Nico’s thigh and say _“oh my gods, Nico, did you see that?”_

And Nico’s mind would go blank except for the hot handprint-shaped spot of Percy’s palm on his thigh. 

Then Luke would reach over Percy to squeeze the back of Nico’s neck and his expression was one of fondness, like he was saying, _isn’t his enthusiasm cute?_  
  
  
  


There was no reprieve from the pair of them in Nico’s dreams. He dreamed of touching Percy, drawing those moans out of him himself. He dreamed of being touched by Percy, writhing beneath his hands and mouth. Occasionally Luke made an appearance, watching or draping himself over them, and on one memorable occasion, sucking Nico’s dick with Percy. 

Nico almost always woke up with wet underwear or wet sheets, having cum in his sleep. 

Sometimes the dreams didn’t even go that way, though they usually did. Nico would deny himself in real life but not in his own dreams. 

When they didn’t have sex, they were gazing up at stars or walking along the beach or picnicking in the woods. They spoke about this and this and this and nothing at all. Not all of the words that came out of Luke’s mouth were in a language that Nico knew. It wasn’t a language at all, just garbled gibberish. If there was a reason for it, Nico didn’t know it.  
  
  
  


Nico learned quite accidentally that Percy liked to nap after an orgasm. He knew this in part because Percy always got quiet after he came, but also because Luke would come downstairs and inform Nico that Percy was napping. 

Luke sat at the kitchen island, at first across from Nico and then beside him, always in some state of undress. He stole sips of Nico’s wine while they discussed Nico’s schooling. “I never went to school.” 

“Never?” Nico asked. 

Luke shook his head. “My mom was terrified of letting me out of the house. Then I ran away, spent five years homeless. And when I got to Camp Half-Blood, Chiron wouldn’t let me. He said they needed me there.” He shifted on the bar stool, his arm brushing Nico’s. 

Heat ran up Nico’s arm. He tried not to stare at Luke, or press himself to Luke like in his dreams. “I never got past fifth grade,” Nico admitted. “Chiron made me papers, though, so now I’m a certified citizen of the United States and the college I’m attending thinks I’ve finished high school with excellent grades.” 

Another shift, this time Luke’s knee knocking against his. “Grief counseling is going to be hard but rewarding if you like helping people.” He launched into stories from his time at Camp Half-Blood, when he’d unwillingly taken on the role of counselor, mentor, parent, sibling. So many roles he hadn’t wanted or asked for but Luke liked helping the kids. “You’re lucky, Nico. I’d have killed to be trained professionally.” Luke’s hand rested on Nico’s arm. His blue eyes gazed into Nico’s, full of sincerity and warmth.  
  
  
  


“On guard!” Percy said, tossing a sword through the air. 

Nico caught it without thinking. He gazed at his Stygian iron sword in surprise. 

Percy had Riptide out, a wolfish grin on his face. He slid into a defensive crouch. 

Nico barely paused to think before he launched himself at Percy. They were going to have a sword fight in his living room. He couldn’t think of a better place to do it. For every move that Nico made, Percy blocked or dodged or deflected. 

Luke sat in the middle, on the couch, twisting around to watch them. He called out tips to both of them, giving them pointers. After a while, Luke said, “I get to take the winner.” 

Nico’s mind went straight to the gutter. He tried not to let the tingling desire spreading across his skin distract him. 

Percy jumped over the back of the couch. 

Nico followed him. 

Percy disarmed him, sending his sword thudding against the thick rug. 

Nico tripped over Luke’s feet and landed in his lap. He let out a very manly squeak of surprise. 

“Hey,” Luke said mildly, more a greeting than any outrage about having Nico in his lap. 

Nico was well aware that he was short and skinny but sitting in Luke’s lap made him feel even more so. He stuttered. His face was scarlet, heart hammering. He was very aware of how hot Luke was, how heat radiated from his skin, and how he felt pressed against Nico’s back. Nico was horrified to realize that his limbs wouldn’t work, that he couldn’t make himself rise from Luke’s lap. 

Percy stared at the two of them. He had a hungry expression on his face, something akin to how he looked while he was fighting but not exactly the same. “I think we should change the rules.” 

“Oh?” Luke asked. His breath ghosted across the top of Nico’s head, tickled the tip of his ear. 

“Yeah. You get to take the loser,” Percy said. He licked his lips, still staring at them. 

“I’m down for that,” Luke purred. He kept his hands to himself, yet it felt like he ensnared Nico even more. 

Percy recapped Riptide, turning the sword into a pen. He locked eyes with Nico, dropped to his knees in front of them. He put his hands on Nico’s knees. It was just like the night he’d asked Nico to bring someone back from the dead. 

At Percy’s touch, his whole body flinched. Nico had no idea what was going on, except he felt very much like this was a dream. Did he hit his head? Was he unconscious on the floor with the two of them standing over him? 

“I guess I’ve got a confession,” Percy said. Nico half expected him to admit that he murdered Annabeth so that he could bring Luke back, but what Percy said instead was, “We’ve been trying to seduce you and I don’t think it’s working.” 

Nico’s heart skipped a beat. “What?” 

Percy looked faintly embarrassed. “Luke went the emotional route. I chose the physical one.” His brown skin took on a rosy hue. “I mean, you already know me. So I thought that showing you I was willing to be physical with you would, um, put the idea in your head.” 

Nico stared at him. 

“And you didn’t know me very well...I didn’t know you very well either,” Luke chimed in. Every time he spoke, Nico felt the vibrations against his back. “But after the past few weeks, getting to know you, I do really like you, Nico.” 

Nico felt as though his brain was short circuiting. Were they saying what he thought they were? 

After a few moments, Luke said, “I think we broke him.” 

Percy smiled. He squeezed Nico’s thighs. “Nico’s tougher than that.” He gazed into Nico’s eyes, stars sparkling in his. “What we’re trying to ask is if you would be in a relationship with us. Both of us.” 

“A triad,” Luke added. He was craning to see Nico’s face. “You need more mirrors in here. Percy?” 

“I think we might have broken him,” came Percy’s verdict. 

They were. They were asking him to join them. Nico had to say something. He had to say _something._ Did he want to be with both of them? Nico laughed. What a stupid question. It’s been looking him in the face for weeks, since he brought Luke back to life. “Yes?” He heard himself say, almost a question. 

Percy’s gaze shifted to Luke’s, a question in his eyes, a slight furrow to his brow. When he looked at Nico again, he said, “We didn’t mean to pressure you. If you don’t want to be with us then we’ll stop trying to seduce you. But Luke and I really like you so -“ 

“Yes. Percy, I said yes,” Nico cut him off. “Yes. I’ll...join your...” He turned his head to finally look at Luke. “What did you call it?” 

“A triad,” Luke said. His blue eyes sparkled too, excitement in them. He finally put one hand on Nico’s waist, touch feather light. “You can think about it if you want. You don’t have to answer now.” 

Nico glanced between them, saw naked hope and reservations mirrored on both of their faces. It occurred to him that neither of them thought they were good enough for Nico to want to join them. Not for the first time, Nico was reminded that he had Percy on too high of a pedestal. Percy was human. He had insecurities. And Luke...Nico had had him on a sort of pedestal too. He put his hands over theirs, one at his knee and one at his waist. “I’ve never been in a triad so I don’t know the rules but I’d like to try.” 

Luke let out a sigh of relief that Nico felt more than heard. He laced his fingers between Nico’s fingers. “I told you we should have just asked.” 

Percy smiled warmly. He was practically bouncing with excitement. “Can I kiss you, Nico?” 

Nico’s heart skipped another beat. He nodded. 

Percy rose, pressed his lips to Nico’s lips. He kissed Nico long and deep, as though trying to convince Nico that his feelings were real. 

Nico couldn’t help but moan into the kiss. He was finally kissing Percy Jackson. After so many years of fantasizing and dreaming, it was happening in real life. He brought his free hand up to cup Percy’s cheek. 

Kissing Percy was all teeth and tongue and small snarls caught in Percy’s throat. 

Luke’s lips pressed to the spot behind Nico’s ear. He murmured, “Is this okay?” Nico moaned again, gave Luke’s fingers a reassuring squeeze. He kissed Percy until he was breathless, then turned his head to kiss Luke. 

Luke was gentler and decidedly dryer than kissing Percy. He was no less passionate, just showed it differently. 

When they parted, Nico was panting. 

Percy and Luke kissed each other in front of Nico for the first time. When they parted, they gazed lovingly into each other’s eyes. It was undeniably sexy but it also filled Nico with warmth. What if they looked at _him_ like that? They looked at Nico and the stars didn’t leave their eyes.


End file.
